


Of Bandages and Coffee Cups

by Sai_2271 (niictate)



Series: Red and Blue Jell-O [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Based on a Tumblr Post, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Bisexual!Lance, Blue Jell-O is a thing look it up, Fluff, Gay Disasters, Gay Keith (Voltron), Keith is an emo disaster gay, Keith/Lance (Voltron) Fluff, Lance (Voltron) Has ADHD, Lance is a nurse, Lance mispronounced Kogane and it's a thing now, Lotor is a gang leader, M/M, Shay is a doctor, They like pokemon ok, Two idiots not knowing how to feelings, Voltron is a coffee shop, broganes, everyone has low self esteem, gay!keith, keith is not ok, nurse!lance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-07-11 03:52:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15964115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/niictate/pseuds/Sai_2271
Summary: Keith ends up in the hospital a lot. After all, he brushes shoulders with Altea University's most ruthless student/gang leader, Lotor. This time, he ended up in the hospital because of a stab wound. Normally, Keith is a cynical and distrustful person, but a peculiar nurse introducing himself as Lance McClain becomes close friends with him in a short period of time.Or, Lance is a nurse and Keith can't stop getting hurt. Gay idiots ensue.





	Of Bandages and Coffee Cups

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first fic, so please have mercy. I know, I'm total garbage. Comments and kudos are appreciated! Follow me on my Instagram, @sai.2271

To the average person, a morning is waking up in bed to the rivulets of golden sunlight that stream through the blinds, opening their eyes to a dull but familiar ache, with hair sticking out in every direction. It’s just what makes sense. It’s what’s “normal”.

 

But God, Keith can’t be normal to save the whole fucking world.

 

First of all, he believes in cryptids. Second, he is the definition of an emo disaster gay. Third, he woke up in a hospital with a very worried and sleep deprived Shiro.

 

His brother had his head cradled in his hands but as he heard Keith shift in the bed, his head snapped up. If the dark shadows under his eyes were any indicator, he hadn’t slept at all. Keith still had no idea why he was in the hospital but he was pretty sure it was his fault, because Shiro gave him a look that was a mix between exasperation and relief. That, and the slight presence of annoyance. But all the same, it was still Shiro looking at him.

 

Brotherly love, right?

 

Keith stopped moving when he felt his older brother’s eyes on him. He was sitting in the bed with a dull ache in his head, and a sharp pain near his stomach. He had a strong feeling that his guess was right and groaned. Shiro was sighing in agreement, with arms now crossed across his chest and shaking his head slightly.

 

 _God damnit, Lotor! You ASS!_ Keith thought, thoroughly pissed at his manipulative asshat of a classmate.

 

“Stop moving so much. You’ll tear the stitches,” Shiro sighed, more to himself than to Keith. Keith simply grunted in response.

 

He decided to take in his surroundings, preferring not to listen to the lecture Shiro would launch into minute now. There were the barren white walls of a hospital, an IV drip that was probably somewhere on Keith’s arm right now, (he hadn’t bothered to check), the drab red curtains of the windows, and a bedside table with a few cards. He should probably read those. He knew they were from Pidge, Matt, and Adam. Maybe one from that one coworker that was nice to him, Hunk. Or maybe from their boss, Allura. Probably not though.    

                

Both brothers looked up when there was a light knock on the door, and a second later a tan boy with a freckled face popped his head through the narrow opening of the door.

 

He gave both men a friendly smile. Keith could admit he was cute, but honestly, he couldn’t care less, he wasn’t in control right now. The only part of his mind that was relatively functional was his rational, survivalist side, which was shrieking, “ _THANK THE LORD THE NURSE IS HERE_ -”

 

“Hello. This is Keith Kogan’s room, correct?” the nurse said, but he horribly butchered pronouncing Kogane. Keith winced, and a concerned pair of ocean blue eyes appeared in an instant, a hair’s length away from his face.They were definitely too close for comfort. The ebony haired boy moved back slightly, but again winced as the sharp pain in his stomach returned. The nurse tried to move closer to inspect the wound, but Keith batted his hands away.

 

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Keith reassured the tan boy. The nurse gave him a final concerned look before leaning back. He glanced at the wall embarrassed, and Keith sighed slightly.

 

“Yes, I’m Keith Kogane,” he said to the still flustered nurse, who flushed even further when Keith emphasized the last e. “And you are?”

 

“Uh-um,” he swallowed, “I’m McClain. Lance McClain,” he said sheepishly, introducing himself like James Bond. “I’m your nurse. I’ll be checking on you periodically to make sure your recovery goes smoothly. Mind if I look at your wounds?”

 

Keith nodded and sat closer to Nurse McClain. McClain flashed him a friendly smile, which made its way into his eyes as he moved closer, but that only made Keith trust him less. He shifted backwards subconsciously, and the nurse stopped advancing towards him, his warm smile turning into a face of concern once again.

 

“I’m sorry. Did I do something?” he asked, eyes wide with worry.

 

“No, you’re fine, I’m just not used to someone examining me,” Keith replies.

 

Shiro snorted. “You’ve been to this hospital more times than I can count in the past three months. Let Mr. McClain check your wounds.”

 

“Shut it Shiro, I just don’t like it.”

 

“Um, you can call me Lance. Mr. McClain makes me sound like an important person,” he interrupted, with a self conscious smile, “I’m just a nurse.”

 

Shiro nodded. “Sorry, Lance. Keith, be friendly. Don’t bite his hand off,” he chuckled. Lance’s eyes went wide as he looked back at Keith, and Keith couldn’t help the slight upward pull at the corners of his lips.

“Have you actually bitten nurses before?”

 

Both Shiro and Keith erupted with laughter at Lance’s serious question.

 

“Don’t worry about it Lance,” Shiro said, still wheezing even after calming himself down, a minute or two after Keith, “He won’t bite anyone with me sitting here.”

 

Keith sighed and turned to face Lance, who had a more relieved look on his face than a few minutes ago, but still had a tiny bit of apprehension in his eyes. The nurse moved closer and pulled up the hospital gown, cautious to move the blankets at the same time so as to not make Keith cold or make him uncomfortable. Keith decided to finally look down at his wound.

 

There was a three inch stab wound just under his ribcage, held together by tiny little stitches. The surrounding skin was still a little red from recently being closed, and there was still the ghost feeling of warm drops of blood escaping through the careful stitching. Lance hovered over the wounds. Long, careful fingers making sure they didn’t press anywhere that would cause any pain. Keith was sure he wouldn’t feel any anyway, since he was so drugged up on pain meds it was making his heart pound through his chest.

 

Maybe Lance could feel it. If he did, Keith prayed he thought it was the drugs.

 

“Well, Keith, it seems you’re ok for the most part, so I’m going to clean the wound and see if the blood is from when you got stabbed. If it still leaks through, I’ll have to call Dr. Shay to tighten the stitches,” he said calmly and quietly. Keith appreciated it. His head was starting to hurt like a bitch.

 

Wait. Shay. That sounded oddly familiar.

 

“Shay as in Shay Balmera? Hunk’s girlfriend?” Keith blurted out. Lance looked up from where he was getting a first aid kit.

 

“Yeah actually. You know Hunk?” he asked with a gleam in his eye Keith couldn’t quite place.

 

“He’s my coworker. We work together in the cafe downtown. Voltron.”

 

“Oh!” he said, slightly disappointed, “So his visit earlier wasn’t a social call. Damn, Shay forced him out too cause she didn’t know he was here for a patient. I’m sorry about that.”

 

Lance walked over while he continued talking and apologizing. He knelt down and washed lightly, using feather-light sweeping motions. Keith held his breath the entire time, careful to not disturb the nurse’s work.

 

Lance, he reminded himself. It was the first time a nurse asked him to refer to them by their first name.

 

His mind continued to wander, but as Lance pressed the skin particularly close to the wound, Keith’s heart leapt into his throat, and he let out a choked nervous cough.

 

And then Lance fucking _giggled_.

 

Oh for fuck’s sake.

 

“Do you have a punctured lung we didn’t know about? You need me to get Shay?” he asked, amusement twinkling in the ocean blue eyes. Keith knew he was caught, but he continued to act like nothing happened.

 

“No, I’ve been recovering from a fever the past few days, but I’m sure I’m fine now,” he lied. Lance gave him a skeptical look.

 

“Hmm. Ok, well, if you need me, press the button on your bedside table, and I’ll be right over. Want me to get you some food?” Lance asked, returning to a kinder tone. His eyes looked to gentle, so genuinely concerned for Keith’s health. Keith _was_ a cynical person but…

 

Damn, he was great at his job.

 

Although Keith didn’t normally eat, he asked Lance to bring him some Jell-O. Red, preferably, and at hearing his request, Lance wrinkled his nose and said, “Gross. Blue is better.”

 

After coming back with his Jell-O, Lance brought Keith some more comfortable pillows, and accommodated them to his body, mindful of his wounds and stitches, all while he had Keith shift in the pillows to keep them from becoming uncomfortable. Keith would never say it outloud, but he appreciated everything Lance had done for him. Especially because he had every reason not to, after all, he was the idiot who got stabbed for the fifth time this year.

 

“You look like a baby bundled up in those pillows,” Lance cooed when he finished. He turned to leave when Keith spoke again.

 

“Fight me McClain,” Keith deadpanned, shifting further into the mountain of pillows.

 

Lance chuckled, put a hand on his hip and turned. “Maybe later, Kogan,” he said teasingly, before he left.

 

-

 

It had been six days since Keith was admitted to the hospital. He and Lance had ended up spending a lot of time together talking, since Lance was one of the only people who was allowed to see him unconditionally. He still got visits from Hunk, Pidge, Allura, and Shiro, but none of them could stay for long. They were adults who had adulting to do.

 

But to be honest? Lance was fun to be around.

 

Lance had just left to get Keith some more Jell-O, and Keith was doing his best to sit up and look intimidating. He also tried his best to position his DS so it wasn’t visible he was playing Pokemon while waiting for Lance.

 

Well, Lance had already seen him play Pokemon, and he knew Keith had named his primarina after him, and he helped Keith train for gyms, and he brought Keith a pikachu plush on his third day here.

 

But, still. Keith had a reputation to uphold.

 

Just as Keith tried to beat the fifth gym, Lance opened the door. He had two cups of Jell-O, one red and one blue. He waved at Keith and sat down on the foot of his bed.

 

“So. Have you won yet?” Lance asked with twinkling eyes and a smile as radiant as the fucking sun.

 

Wait, shit. What was he doing?

 

Keith heard the last Pokemon he had faint before he was able to properly Lance’s question.

 

Lance was already exploding with laughter, and Keith gave him an annoyed look. Keith shoved him off the bed, and Lance’s face morphed into an expression of mock hurt, before getting up and setting the Jell-O down on the table in front of Keith.

 

“So, I have to take your vitals now, but your heart rate is going to be through the roof, and you’ll have to explain that to Shay,” he said, still smiling. It made Keith’s body melt and made his blood boil at the same time. He made a vulgar gesture towards Lance while the nurse attached the cuff to Keith’s pale arm. He returned it while sticking his tongue out at Keith, and turned his attention back to the monitor. Keith saw Lance look at him out of the corner of his eye as the machine gave him a final reading.

 

“Jesus christ! I didn’t know someone with a stab wound could have a bpm of a hundred and ten,” he said chuckling lightly, and Keith gave him a confused look.

 

“And what does that mean?” he asked, he thought since he’d never payed attention in health class. Lance laughed even harder, and Keith simply flushed burying his face in the nearest pillow. Lance stopped himself short and tapped Keith on the shoulder. Keith conceded and turned over to face Lance.

 

“Don’t be embarrassed, I never payed attention in health class until I wanted to be a nurse,” he said gently, “It just shows you’re mad because a heart rate that goes over one hundred is too high for most adults.”

 

Keith just looked away for a second, feeling stupid. Of course he didn’t know what bpm was. Why the fuck was he trying to pursue an actual career in aviation of all things, when he didn't know something as basic as that?

 

“Hey, you ok?” Lance asked quietly.

 

Keith didn’t reply.

 

Lance appeared to have decided Keith seemed too sad, since he sat on the edge of the bed and faced the gloomy boy.

 

“Twenty questions?” he asked, grinning wickedly. Keith laughed in response, since he just looked like he was _trying_ to be evil, but he just ended up wrinkling his nose adorably.

 

“Sure, I’ll amuse you. You go first,” Keith replied, smiling despite himself. Well, how was he supposed to frown with Lance giving him a look that, if he wasn’t bedridden in a hospital, would have him bolting in the other direction with a scarlet face?

 

Lance made an exaggerated “thinking face” for five seconds before asking the first question.

 

“What’s with the mullet?”

 

Keith sighed into his hands. Lance just cackled for a full minute.

 

“I’m kidding! Favorite place.”

 

Now that did surprise Keith. How utterly poetic of that idiot.

 

He thought for a moment before replying, “The cafe.”

 

“Hm. Makes sense. But what about _here_ with _me_?” Lance replied, making an exaggerated fainting motion as he leaned over to flop down on the bed next to Keith, with a hand still on his forehead and all for dramatic effect.

 

Keith smiled fondly. _Yeah. That’d be a close second._

 

“Nah, you’re too annoying,” is what he replied instead. _Wow, way to tell him you appreciate everything he’s done for you jackass_ Keith scolded himself.

 

Lance laughed. Because of course he would after being insulted.

 

But there was something… fake about it. Like it wasn’t a laugh of amusement. It was one that was trying to cover something up.

 

“Wow, thanks, Kogan,” he said sarcastically, with a hint of hurt in his eyes.

 

 _Okay, you_ really ARE _a jackass now._

 

“No problem, McClain,” Keith said lightheartedly, trying to make it seem like the joke it was.

 

Lance sat up with his default childlike expression. “Ok, explain.”

 

 _Wow, okay, that’s actually complicated,_ Keith thought. Why _did_ he like the overcrowded, loud, and obnoxious place that was Voltron Legendary Coffee?

 

“It just feels like home, I guess,” Keith said with a shrug.

 

Lance nodded and gave him a look Keith couldn’t quite describe, when a buzzer started ringing from Lance’s pocket. He fumbled for the offending device and got up.

 

“Oh shoot. I gotta go, Keith. See you later?” he said, offering a small smile.

 

“Wait… I haven’t asked my question!” Keith said, attempting to stand. He ended up getting into a coughing fit as Lance helped him, all the while chuckling softly.

 

“What a delicate flower,” Lance said mockingly.

 

“Fight me, McClain.”

 

Lance made his exaggerated thinking face again. “Nah, I know you’d win. See you later Kogan,” he said, as he disappeared through the door.

 

-

 

It was Keith’s last day in the hospital. To be honest, he was sad to go. Partly because he didn’t have to work. Partly because he didn’t have to deal with his younger siblings, Romelle and Bandor. But mostly, he would miss being with Lance.

 

He’d grown accustomed to the constant banter between them, the Pokémon fights, and teasing, the awkward ice breaker games that usually end in one or both of them laughing until they couldn’t breathe. Lance was the only person who was there for him all the time, no questions asked. He also brought the feeling that he would never leave him. Nothing could make him go away. Keith could be himself in front of him.

 

It was the best feeling Keith had never had.

 

He stood in the room with the barren white walls, drab red curtains on the windows, and a patient’s bed where he had shared so many wonderful memories with a certain freckled, tan boy with bright blue eyes that rivaled that of the ocean and the sky. It felt like it would be the last time he would ever be here, but he knew it wasn’t. Keith always ended up back in the hospital. It was a second home. Maybe like a third, since he went to Voltron more often.

 

He sighed and pulled the red jacket over his shoulders, picking up his pikachu plush from the bed. He couldn’t stop the pooling tears that formed in his eyes, but he ignored them and hugged the plush tight.

 

 _Damn_ he would miss Lance.

 

There was a light knock on the door. Keith turned, expecting it to be Shiro telling him they’re ready to go, but instead he saw a lean figure with an oversized army jacket and a cup of coffee in their hand.

 

And it was Lance.

 

And Lance just laughed.

 

He laughed with his entire body, with shaking shoulders and squinted eyes that still let a peek of blue escape. He tried to regain his composure, but just ended up laughing harder.

 

“What’s so funny?” Keith asked.

 

“No uh… nothing I’m just glad you liked the pikachu I got you,” he said, with his stupidly wide grin.

 

Keith frowned. “Yeah, of course I did. It’s from you,” he said, and he realized what he said a little too late. He only picked up on how flirtatious it sounded when Lance’s face turned beet red.

 

“I-I mean, like, of course I do it was a gift, and it’s a nice gesture,” Keith stuttered. _God, what are you SAYING_?

 

“Yeah, yeah, I totally got that, no worries man,” Lance replied with a shaky grin.

 

They both had a sudden interest in the room around them. Lance looked at the deactivated heart rate monitor as Keith fiddled with the plush. He could hear Lance’s fidgeting. The way he cracked his knuckles,the way his foot tapped the floor lightly, the way he pushed his head both ways waiting for the crack. He’d been doing that since around Keith’s third day.

 

Like when he cracked his knuckles ‘till they wouldn’t pop anymore while handing Keith the gift.

 

“So… I’m gonna miss having you around,” Keith admitted, breaking the awkward silence.

 

Lance’s eyes widened. “Um, yeah, me too,” he replied shakily. There was another small pause.

 

Then Lance handed Keith the cup he was holding awkwardly and bolted out the door, his face still blushing like mad. Keith heard a few staff members confused and alarmed shouts before he processed what had happened.

 

Stunned, Keith simply looked at the cup. Nothing special. And then he noticed a sticky note on the bottom.

 

It had a number, a date with a time, and the name “Voltron Legendary Coffee”. Turning it over, Keith read the small message scrawled on the back.

 

_Fight me?_


End file.
